Mechanism for tilting and supporting umbrella tops



s. N. SMALL 2,863,468 MECHANISM FOR TILTING AND SUPPORTING UMBRELLA TOPS Dec. 9, 1958 Filed May 8, 1957 INVENTOR. 54772 716/ M 5m Maw United States Patent Qfifice.

2,863,468 Patented Dec. Y 9, 1958 MECHANISM FOR TILTING AND SUPPORTING UMBRELLA TOPS Samuel N. Small, Valley Stream, Y., assignor to Al- This invention relates to umbrellas of various types and kinds, wherein the top of the umbrella is tiltable into different angular positions with respect to the shaft or post. More particularly, the invention deals with an operative mechanism, including a member pivoted, at one side, or externally of the post, at the upper end portion thereof, with means for engaging said member in retaining the same and the umbrella top in normal position centrally with respect to the top of the post and against shifting movement thereon, said last named means being released or moved into inoperative position by the runner slidable longitudinally of the post in movement of the umbrella top into tilted positions with respect to the post.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic side view of the upper portion of an umbrella post, showing the parts in normal retained or locked position, with parts of the construction broken away and in section and indicated, in part, the position of the top actuating member in angular position in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a view looking at the right side of the showing in Fig. 1, illustrating only part of the construction and with parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, omitting the background showing; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1, also omitting all background showing.

In illustrating one adaptation of my invention, I have shown, at 10, the shaftor post of an umbrella which, in the structure shown, has an upper terminal end,.as

at 11 of Fig. l, the post being tubular in form.

Mounted in the upper portion of the post on a shaft 12 is a pulley 13, which extends outwardly through an opening 14 in the post and an operating cord or cable 15 passes around the pulley with one end extending through the post to an operative mechanism at the lower end of the post, which mechanism is not shown, as it forms no direct part of this invention. The mechanism is actuated to raise or lower a runner 16 on the post 10 and the other end of the cord or cable 15 can be fixed to the flange portion 17 of the runner, which flange portion usually has, coupled therewith, the brace ribs or rods for the umbrella top. In this connection, it will be apparent that the illustration of the runner is purely diagrammatic. This runner structure is modified by the inclusion of a pair of upwardly directed fingers 18 which are employed for actuating the tilting mechanism, as later described.

Secured to the post 10 at the side thereof opposed to the aperture 14 and below said aperture is a U-shaped bracket 19, having a rounded portion 20 seating directly upon the surface of the post and welded or otherwise fixed thereto. The bracket has a pair of spaced bearings 21, in which is mounted a pivot pin or shaft 22 which also passes through projecting ears 23 at the lower end portion of a top supporting and operating frame or member 24.

The member 24 is of channel cross-sectional form, in other words, is defined by a back wall 25 and two similar spaced side walls 26. The wall 25 is apertured, as seen at 27, to receive the curved wall 20 of the bracket 19 and so as to dispose the wall 25 in bearing engagement upon the side of the post 10, where it extends above the bracket.

The side walls 26 of the member 24 have, at their lower ends, rounded protruding cam bearing surfaces 28, which extend Well below the projecting ears 23, as noted. One of these side walls 26 also has, at its edge, a key notch 29 which is adapted to receive a key loop 30 of a spring catch or lock rod 31. Note in this connection Fig. 2 of the drawing. The rod 31 has, at a predetermined distance below the key loop 30, an outwardly projecting cam loop 32, defined by the bevelled wall'33 and the loops 30, 32 operate respectively in apertures 34 and 35 in the wall of the post 10. .qThe rod 31 has a large spring loop 36, at its midportion, with a bearing end 31 engaging the wall of the post It) opposed to the apertures 34 and 35 so as to, at all times, maintain the loops 30, 32 within the apertures,34, 35.' In this manner, the spring catch or look rod 31 maintains a fixed position longitudinally of the postx10. The spring loop 36 is constantly urging the loops 30, 32 outwardly in the apertures 34, 35.

' Directly above and in close proximity to the aperture 14 in the post 10 are a pair of apertures for receiving a hook, end 38 of a coil spring 39, the other looped end portion 40 of the spring passing through a large aperture141 and engaging a smaller aperture 42 in the member 24 or the wall 25 thereof. In alinement with the aperture 41, the post 10 has an elongated aperture 43 for free reception of the spring 39 in movement of the member 24 from the normal position, noted in full lines in Fig. 1, to any of the angular or tilting positions, one of which is indicated by a partial showing of the member 24 in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the spring 39 is tensioned to normally support the member 24in the full line position of Fig. 1, and tilting of the umbrella top with respect to the post 10 will be against the action of the spring 39.

Now considering Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the upper end of the member 24, or the walls 25, 26 thereof, include inwardly extending flanges 44 and 45, respectively, apertures to receive rivets or other fastening devices 46 in securing the center rib disc 47 thereto. The disc 47 is only diagrammatically shown, but this is the disc to which the ribs of the umbrella are pivotally, coupled in the usual well-known manner and, which, further support the central portion of the umbrella top covering and both the ribs and the covering are omitted, as these structures are well-known in the art and form no part of the present invention. Thus, descriptively speaking, the disc portion 47 can generally beregarcled as the umbrella top.

It will be noted that the flange portions 44, 45 seat oncutout surfaces 11' of the post 10 so that, when the umbrella top is in its normal non-tilted position, the umbrella top structure, which includes the flanges 45, 46 fixed thereto, seats positively upon the upper ends 11, 11' of the post 10 and are definitely retained in this position by the spring 39. With the parts in this position, the key loop 30 will be extended outwardly through the post to engage the key notch 29 and the loop 32 will be positioned below and closely adjacent one of the cam surfaces 28 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The

essence key loop 30 serves to definitely retain the umbrella top upon the upper bearing engagement with the post by keying the member 24 against any swinging movement on the pivot pin or shaft 22.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that, upon upward movement of the runner 16, the umbrella top can be moved to an open position and this normal open position can be said to.be illustrated in the full line showing of the runner, including its upwardly projecting fingers 18, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

When it is desired to tilt the umbrella top with respect to the post 10, upward movement of the runner is continued, through the usual operative mechanism, and it will, thus, be seen that, as the fingers 18 move upwardly over the bevelled cam portion 33 of the loop 32, the key loop 30 is moved inwardly, out of engagement with the notch 29 prior to engagement of the upper ends 18' of the fingers 18 with the cam surfaces 28. Thus, as the upward movement of the runner continues, the member 24 will be swung on its pivot 22 to bring the umbrella top to any desired angular position and the umbrella top will be supported in this position by the spring 39, urging the cam surfaces 28 in constant engagement with the upper ends 18 of the fingers 18. In other Words, the ends 18 form stops, checking return movement of the umbrella top to the full line position of the frame of the member 24, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will also be understood, in this connection, however, that, as and when it is desired to return the tilted umbrella to its normal upright position, in lowering the runner 16, the spring 39 will cause the cam surfaces 28 to maintain engagement with the ends 18' of the fingers 18, until such time as the member 24 reaches its stop position, whereupon, continued downward movement of the runner will release the spring catch or lock 31 to automatically extend the loops 30, 32 through the apertures 34, 35, with the loop 30 arranged in the key notch 29, again permanently retaining the mechanism in the normal locked position on the post 10.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanism for tilting and supporting umbrella tops, comprising, in combination with a tubular post, a top supporting and operating member, means pivotally supporting the member on a pivot disposed outwardly of and in spaced relation to the post, an umbrella top fixed to the upper portion of said member, said member having side walls disposed on and overlying side portions of the post, lower ends of said side walls having extended bearing portions, a runner slidably engaging the post, including means operatively engaging said bearing portions for moving said member in tilted position with respect to the post on its pivot, and tensional means coupled with the post and said member constantly urging the member in the normal upright position of the umbrella top.

27 A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein a spring catch is mounted in the post, including a key part adapted to project through the post and operatively engage said member to retain the member against movement relatively to the post in the normal upright position of the umbrella top,

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said spring catch includes a secondary cam loop protruding through the post beneath the bearing portions of the side walls of said member and operatively engaged by the means on said runner to move the key means of the spring catch out of operative engagement with said member, preparatory to movement of said member into tilted position with respect to the post.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the post is apertured to clear the spring means coupled with the post and member in movement of said member into tilted position.

5. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the bearing portions of the side walls of said member are rounded cam-like surfaces, and the means on the runner comprising upwardly projecting fingers operatively engaging said cam-like surfaces.

6. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the first named means comprises a U-shaped bracket directly fixed to the post, and said member including outwardly projecting ears, through which a pivot pin, mounted in the side walls of the bracket, also pass.

7. A structure as defined in claim 6, wherein said member is of channel cross-sectional form, and the lower part of a wall of said member is apertured to receive the bracket in maintaining said wall of the member in engagement with the surface of the post.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein theupper end of the post forms a stop supporting the umbrella top in the normal upright position. i V

9. A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the umbrella top includes, centrally thereof, a rib and fabric supporting disc, and said member having flange portions, at its upper end, directly fixed to said disc.

10. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein operative means of the runner includes a pulley, mounted in the post above said spring catch, with part of said pulley protruding through an aperture in a wall of the post.

ll. An umbrella comprising a tubular post a top, a member pivoted to the post on a pivot which is in spaced relation to the top and offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the post, said top being fixed to the upper end of said member, yieldable means, between the post and member, to normally urge the member toward said post, said member having projecting operating means, and means movable longitudinally of the post operatively engaging said last named means to control movement of said member and top with respect to the post.

12. A structure as defined in claim 11, wherein the post includes means operatively engaging said member locking the same against accidental opening movement when said member is in longitudinal alinement with the post.

13. An umbrella comprising a single elongated tubular post, umbrella top supporting means tiltably mounted on the upper end portion of the post and extending to the upper end of the post, interengaging means between the post and member to normally retain said member in position lying against the post, an umbrella top supported on said member, and said top having a direct bearing upon the upper end of the post when said member is in position lying against the post.

14. An umbrella comprising a tubular post, a top, a member arranged along the upper end of the post and pivoted to the post on a pivot which is in spaced relation to the upper end of the post, said pivot being offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the post, said member, adjacent the pivot, having an offset curved bearing portion, said top being fixed to the upper end of said member, means mova'bly supported in connection with the post directly engaging said member, when lying against the post to normally retain the same against movement relatively to the post, means movable longitudinally of the post to first release said first named means and then move said member angularly with respect to the post in continued movement of said second named means, and means controlling angular swinging movement of said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

